Tag: avocado

This chili recipe isn’t what you’d traditionally think of as “buffalo chicken,” but the flavors are a welcomed change from your standard beef chili dishes. It’s spicy from the hot sauce and a little sweet from the potatoes, whilst still retaining all the typical chili flavors and spices. It simmered all day as I prepped my nursing work, and I had Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Buffalo Chicken Chili in a blink of an eye. I loved the addition of fresh cilantro to brighten the dish. You can gobble down a bowl and avoid feeling sluggish because its fresh ingredients come together so seamlessly. I had leftover frozen slow cooker buffalo chicken from my bowl recipe that I tossed in for literally the easiest chili ever. (In the market for a new slow cooker? Check out Reviews.com for The Best Slow Cooker.)

Deconstructed Chicken Caesar Wrap — what’s up? I made this late summer around the same time I went to Nantucket with my friends Leah and Steph. For some reason, it got lost in the potential blog post limbo. I saw Leah Saturday night and she was craving a Caesar salad for dinner, and I remembered this post was lost in limbo. This version of a Caesar “salad” is light, fresh and perfectly chopped. I love my salads chopped now after this is how they were prepped in college. This is totally optional, but so much more fun. I also looooooove this dressing I found a few years ago; it’s creamy because of the Greek yogurt, but still tastes just like Caesar dressing. Adding a little naan on the side makes this salad seem like a wrap without actually having the wrap.

I haven’t posted a breakfast/brunch recipe in a while, and this one is worthy of a post on its own. Meaning “ranch eggs” or “rancher’s eggs,” Skillet Huevos Rancheros is a one pan meal that’s super easy to make and prep ahead of time. You can cook your eggs to however you like, but I like mine runny so they meld with the homemade rancheros sauce or salsa that you make, the refried beans and avocados. I had leftover spinach and zucchini so I tossed it in, but you can’t even tell. I also used a low-carb whole wheat tortilla from Trader Joe’s, but you can keep it authentic and gluten-free with corn ones. If you prep ahead of time, make the sauce, and store the ingredients separately, so you can easily assemble.

Mmmm, Smoked Sweet Potato Shakshuka. Same shakshuka as before as a base, but updated with some delicious sweet potato and smoked paprika for a more savory version. I love shakshuka because it’s so easier to throw together fast and it’s usually with budget-friendly, simple ingredients. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, use two cans of diced tomatoes instead, which you probably have in your pantry. For a heartier meal, add another egg and/or some bread for dipping. I’m thinking a curried chickpea version may be in the distant future . . .

This Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend is EVERYTHING! Literally though. It’s salty, savory and just plain fun. And it’s $1.99 at Trader Joe’s, which totally justifies buying it versus making it (but you can obviously still make it — check out Gimme Some Oven‘s version). I love this Everything Bagel Avocado Toast. I’ve honestly had this three days in a row. Maybe four . . . but who’s counting?

I really like farro. It’s a chewy grain that’s a nice break from my usual brown rice or gluten-free quinoa options. Farro is high in protein, fiber and vitamins, while low in natural sugar and fat. Plus, it counts as a whole grain. Chipotle has been pretty hit or miss here in Boston (emphasis on miss), and I’ve been craving the flavors of their cilantro lime rice. After making a run to the new Trader Joe’s, I picked up some farro, cilantro and limes and tossed it together for the grain base. I couldn’t decide if I wanted my usual, go-to sriracha topping, so I made one way with it and another with fresh strawberries for an end-of-summer touch. Either way, this Cilantro Lime Farro Bowls with Grilled Chicken are a fun summer take on Buddha bowls.

Goooooood morning and happy July! Wake up with the randomly delicious combo of an Orange Avocado Mango Smoothie. The avocado is creamy and adds a natural thickness to the smoothie. The mango adds sweetness, along with the orange, also tossing in a little vitamin C and natural juice. As breakfast or as a snack, it all perfectly blends together into a decidedly different smoothie from your usually berries and banana.

I’m not even sure what I threw together last night, but this was a great impromptu dinner. Roasted some veggies, already had grilled chicken from Whole Foods, might as well grab an avocado . . . and Grilled Chicken Buddha Bowls with Roasted Veggies are born. Yesterday was a bit chilly and grey and using the oven didn’t sound like the worst idea, even though it’ll be July this weekend. I tossed sweet potatoes, chickpeas and kale in rosemary, garlic and paprika. After roasting in the oven, the sweet potatoes were tender, while the chickpeas and kale were crispy with a crunch. The kale was almost like kale chips, which is never a bad thing. Paired with that perfectly charred taste from the grilled chicken and creamy avocados, these bowls hit the spot. Although grain-free, I’m still calling this a buddha bowl since all these pieces came together in that perfectly assembled way.

I’ve died and gone to sushi heaven. These Tuna Sushi Stacks are to die for. I’ve been eyeing this recipe on Skinny Taste since last summer and have always made a deconstructed version, since the stack never quite works out for me. This time, I went for the full deal — still obviously struggled with keeping the stack neat — and added mango and carrots to my top layer. The sweet addition from the mango was a great decision. I’ve stocked up on mangos lately since Whole Foods has had the 5 for $5 sale. Swapping brown for white rice and adding rice vinegar allows the rice to get “sticky” like you find in sushi restaurants without adding sugar to achieve the same effect. Overall, the sushi stack was tangy, sweet, savory and salty. Also, it’s light, yet filling and satisfies all of your sushi cravings while being homemade and on a budget.

Oh hey, Collard Green (Goddess) Wraps. Where have you been all my life? There wasn’t too much green about this. I saw this recipe floating around as a low-carb alternative to wraps, and I knew I just had to try these. These wraps aren’t hard to make, but just require a bit of patience, prep for chopping and time to assemble. You can add such different flavors by mixing up the hummus, the protein (swap chicken for tofu, turkey, beef, etc.) and the herbs. Plus, it’s near the end of collard green season, and stores are bursting with these huge, beautifully dark green leaves.